The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center downtown can also be used as a “megashelter” and house up to 5,000 people.

There had been no official word of evacuees coming to Dallas when the plan was revealed Thursday. The city, though, said it has learned from past incidents of extreme weather -- namely, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when thousands took shelter here.

“Katrina was the first time the city of Dallas ever did those large shelters, and we did not have a playbook at that time,” Dallas OEM Director Rocky Vaz said. “We learned as we went.”

“Those lessons learned have been taken into consideration. We absolutely have a playbook [for Harvey], we know exactly how to do it.”

Anyone traveling to Dallas-Fort Worth from the coast can call 211 for information on shelters.